Brutal kidnapping of woman found naked and shot in the head leads to life in prison

A 23-year-old man will spend the remainder of his life behind bars for the brutal killing of a woman who was beaten and kidnapped at a Birmingham convenience store while onlookers watched without calling for help.

A Plea to Avoid Execution

Jayden Gildersleeve, originally set to stand trial for capital murder, opted to plead guilty to avoid a potential death sentence. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Alaric May sentenced the defendant to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The case, which was prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Joe Roberts and Deputy District Attorney Deborah Danneman, centered on the tragic death of 43-year-old Genise Carter. According to Roberts, Gildersleeve grew enraged over a misplaced phone, leading him to kidnap and murder the victim. Gildersleeve's defense team included Maston Evans, Eric Hamilton, and Wakisha Hazzard. His co-defendant, 64-year-old Michael Spellman, previously entered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of kidnapping in November and is awaiting sentencing.

The Discovery of Genise Carter

On the morning of Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, a city worker made a grim discovery in the 1300 block of 17th Street North. Carter’s body was found face down, wearing only socks, near a water tower. She had been fatally shot in the head.

Surveillance Reveals a Violent Ordeal

Following a tip to investigators, Birmingham police reviewed surveillance footage from the Shell gas station at 800 Third Ave. West. The video documented a terrifying 30-minute ordeal that began at 4:17 a.m. on the day Carter disappeared. Lead investigator Detective John Finke testified that Gildersleeve and Spellman arrived in a Chevrolet Malibu, approached Carter, and eventually forced her into the vehicle at gunpoint.

The footage captured multiple harrowing attempts by Carter to escape, including jumping into a white SUV to plead for help from a stranger and later running back into the store. In each instance, Gildersleeve pursued her, eventually beating her in the doorway and forcing her back into the Malibu. Finke noted that Spellman assisted by unlocking the vehicle door so Gildersleeve could throw the victim back inside.

Justice Served

Additional video evidence from a nearby home tracked the suspects' vehicle to the dead-end street where Carter’s body was later found. While one bystander did eventually contact 911, responding officers were initially unable to locate the incident at the gas station.

“Deborah Danneman and I were proud to stand up for Genise Carter who had her life brutally and senselessly taken,” Roberts said. “Genise’s family is satisfied that the defendant admitted his guilt and will never be released from prison.” The prosecution also extended their gratitude to Birmingham Police Department Detective John Finke for his exhaustive investigation into the case.